Dr. Michael Pistor, the founding father of Mesotherapy, referred to the treatment
as "Surgical Medicine," meaning medications are injected directly into the skin at the site of the pathology or problem area(s). To treat cellulite, medications are injected into the skin and the fat. During a cellulite treatment of the legs, medications are injected from the buttocks to the knees, including the front, back and sides of the thighs (as described in The Cellulite Cure).

Mesotherapy introduces microscopic quantities of homeopathic medications, traditional pharmaceuticals, vitamins, mineral and amino acids into the skin to treat a variety of conditions. All medications are selected for the specific condition being treated. For example, the emphysema medication Aminophyilline is used to treat cellulite because it's been proven to break down fat, as has Isoproternol. Both medications work to achieve the same purpose in different ways, which is why the medications are often combined. (To learn more about medications used in Mesotherapy, see Chapter 5 of The Cellulite Cure.)

The needles used in Mesotherapy are very short and thin. For white skin, a 4 mm needle is recommended, and for black skin, a 6 mm needle is used so the doctor can deliver the medications to the right depth. By definition any medication injected into the skin, fat or tissues of Mesoderm (middle layer of skin) is considered Mesotherapy. (To learn more about your skin's anatomy, see Chapter 2 of The Cellulite Cure.)

The advantages of injecting medication into the skin/fat include the elimination of side effects and contra-indications. Intolerance to a medication is often triggered by factors such as dose and the body's ability to break down and excrete the product. In many cases, formerly intolerant patients can tolerate a medication in Mesotherapeutic form.

As discussed in The Cellulite Cure, once the medication is delivered, the body is stimulated to heal itself. And because the target areas are directly reached, smaller amounts of medication are needed and the effects of Mesotherapy are instantaneous. Micro-injections are relatively painless, and the potential side effects limited to:

Burning that can last 15-20 minutes.

Minor swelling that can last 1-5 days (this can vary with some patients).

Minor soreness that can last several days.

Minor skin discoloration, which resolves on its own, or can be treated with chemical peels to remove it quickly.

A slight risk of infection (which may occur whenever an injection is administered).

The Treatment

Prior to a Mesotherapy session, Dr. Bissoon identifies and maps the area to be treated. Once the area is mapped, the site is cleansed with alcohol, and the patient placed on the treatment table before micro-injections are given. When treating cellulite, mapping is extremely important, since most cellulite will disappear when lying down, making it difficult for the doctor to know exactly where to treat. Note: Many unskilled Mesotherapists will forego this step because they were not properly trained in the evaluation and treatment of cellulite. See the "Find a Doctor" page on this website or the resource section of The Cellulite Cure to locate a competent doctor in your area.